ABOUT THIS SLOT
Big Bad Wolf Christmas Special is sure to be popular with fans of the previous Big Bad Wolf slot, which has always held something of a cult status among real money online slots players. The snowy landscape scene in the background replaces the rural leafy pastures of the first incarnation and we are thrust into the winter sunset complete with Christmas lights.
This 5-reel 3-row slot features the same stylish 3D graphics and the familiar characters of the wolf and the 3 little piggies. It’s a reasonably tame offering in terms of mechanics and payouts. You’ll find 25 paylines as before, along with a modest top payout of 1,268x stake, which is slightly higher than the original.
RTP, VARIANCE AND PAYOUTS
Although it’s not offering a great jackpot, the RTP is a pleasing 97.34%, while the medium volatility rating means this has well-balanced play with a good frequency of medium-sized payouts to keep your bankroll ticking along. The 25p minimum bet should be low enough to suit most pocket sizes, especially with the generous RTP.
SYMBOLS AND PAYTABLE
The symbols in Big Bad Wolf Christmas Special begin with the high cards from 10 to Ace, nailed to wooden planks and covered in snow. These award the lowest payouts from 3x to 4x stake for 5 matches. Next along we have the knitted toy pig and the 3 little piggies, which can pay from 8x to 12x stake for 5 matches.
The highest paying symbol is the Beehive Wild which can pay 40x stake for 5 matches on the reels. Other symbols include the Wolf Scatter which triggers the Free Spins, and the Full Moon Scatter, which activates the Blowing Down the House feature. In this Christmas version of the game, the Big Bad Wolf wears a cheery Santa hat, an incongruity that enhances his sinister appearance!
The top payout in the game is 1,268x stake, which although not a huge jackpot in the slot world, is higher than the original prize. The Free Spins round offers the best chance of taking home the bounty thanks to the accompanying Multipliers and re-trigger potential.
GAMEPLAY AND FEATURES
Swooping Reels
Whenever you hit a winning combination, the winning symbols will blow away to be replaced by new ones. In effect, this gives multiple winning chances on every spin, as the swooping continues until no new wins appear.
Pigs Turn Wild
Whenever you hit a second win in a series of swoops, one pig turns Wild. This means if you hit a fourth win, 2 pigs turn Wild then a sixth win will turn all 3 pigs Wild. This feature appears in Free Spins as well as the base game
Free Spins
If you spin 3 Wolf Scatters, you’ll launch the Free Spins round. The Wolf blows down the straw house and you get 10 Free Spins with a 3x Multiplier. Landing 3 more Wolf Scatters will activate another 10 Free Spins.
Blowing Down the House
The New Moon symbols appear on reel 5 during Free Spins. Once you collect 3 New Moons, the Wolf will blow down the wooden house and award 2 more Free Spins. If you collect 6 New Moons, you’ll get 2 more Free Spins and a 2x Multiplier.
OUR VERDICT
Big Bad Wolf Christmas Special uses the same mechanics as the original but adds a Christmas vibe with new aesthetics, including a Santa outfit for Mr Wolf. Quickspin clearly saw no reason to change a well-loved game and the same generous RTP and playing style means fans of the previous incarnation will enjoy this festive version. It’s fun to play with plenty of bonus features, although the medium volatility and low jackpot might feel too tame compared with the modern higher variance slots. The graphics remain as impressive as ever and the sinister vibe of the Wolf gives that hint of menace present in all great fairy tales. This is a slot classic reinvented for the sparkly season and as long as you don’t mind the modest winning potential, it’s a top choice this festive season.